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Warlord #2
Kick Ass
They're sexy. They're smart. And they aren't afraid of a little danger-not even when it comes to matters of the heart...
Four of today's hottest authors present a quartet of stories about bold women who take no prisoners-either in a fight or in love. Whether it's in the bedroom, in the outer limits of the galaxy, or out on the mean streets, they kick heart-stopping action to the next level. These are women who can hold their own and aren't to be trifled with. The men in their lives know that-and they love it...
The Bride Wore a .44 by Maggie Shayne.
After waking up from a coma, Kira struggles with her memory that seems tangled perhaps because she has forgotten that she is undercover. Her upcoming marriage was part of her cover, but she thinks it is real so she prepares accordingly. However, she does not understand why wedding planner Marshall fills her mind with desire not the what's his name groom.
The Incredible Misadventures of Boo and the Boy Blunder by MaryJanice Davidson.
Former police officer Gregory wonders how life can be so unfair. Recently he was turned into a vampire and to make matters worse he has met his soulmate that is if he has a soul. The problem is his beloved wants to kill him as Boo is a bona fide vampire hunter.
Warfem by Angela Knight.
Her enemy captured Warfem Alina, who would prefer to die, but fears that her foes will use her as a hostage to betray her people and her beloved Baird.
Painkillers by Jacey Ford.
CIA operative Lauren works as a supermodel to hide her true vocation. Her current perilous assignment is made more dangerous in that she must team up with Agent Jake who owns her heart.
Four of today's hottest authors present a quartet of stories about bold women who take no prisoners-either in a fight or in love. Whether it's in the bedroom, in the outer limits of the galaxy, or out on the mean streets, they kick heart-stopping action to the next level. These are women who can hold their own and aren't to be trifled with. The men in their lives know that-and they love it...
The Bride Wore a .44 by Maggie Shayne.
After waking up from a coma, Kira struggles with her memory that seems tangled perhaps because she has forgotten that she is undercover. Her upcoming marriage was part of her cover, but she thinks it is real so she prepares accordingly. However, she does not understand why wedding planner Marshall fills her mind with desire not the what's his name groom.
The Incredible Misadventures of Boo and the Boy Blunder by MaryJanice Davidson.
Former police officer Gregory wonders how life can be so unfair. Recently he was turned into a vampire and to make matters worse he has met his soulmate that is if he has a soul. The problem is his beloved wants to kill him as Boo is a bona fide vampire hunter.
Warfem by Angela Knight.
Her enemy captured Warfem Alina, who would prefer to die, but fears that her foes will use her as a hostage to betray her people and her beloved Baird.
Painkillers by Jacey Ford.
CIA operative Lauren works as a supermodel to hide her true vocation. Her current perilous assignment is made more dangerous in that she must team up with Agent Jake who owns her heart.
343 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 6, 2005
3 people are currently reading
988 people want to read
About the author
Maggie Shayne
289 books2,561 followersI live in the teeny, tiny town of Taylor, NY, (Alliteration Alert!) though my mailing address is Cincinnatus, my telephone exchange is Truxton and I pay taxes and vote in Cuyler. All of these are at least in the same rural county in the southern hills of New York State; Cortland County. There are more cattle than people here. The nearest “big” cities are Syracuse and Binghamton and they are an hour away, in different directions, and not really all that big by most standards, though they both seem humongous to me. I look out my window to see rolling, green, thickly forested hills, wildflower laden meadows and wide open blue, blue skies. My road is barely paved. The nearest neighboring place is a 700 acre dairy farm.
My house is a big, century old farmhouse. I moved in here after my divorce in 2006. Just a little over a year later, the house, which I had named, SERENITY, burned. It was 99% gutted, and I lost my two dogs, Sally, an 11-year-old great Dane, and Wrinkles, my 14-year-old, blind bulldog. This was the culmination of my Dark Night of the soul, which had seemed to hit me all at once in 2006-2007. My mother died that year, after a 14 month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was only 60. The youngest of my five daughters had left home that same year, and while that’s not a tragedy at all, it felt like one to me. Then came the divorce. And finally there was the fire--it seemed my darkest night wasn’t quite finished with me after all. I had lost almost everything before that point, and as I poked through the wet ashes and soot the next day, I realized that I had now been stripped all the way to the bone.
No better time to start over. (And no, I didn’t come to that realization that day--there were a few days of wallowing in pity first, particularly the day after the fire, when I hit a deer and smashed up my car, which I was practically living in!)
That’s when I started to laugh. Just sat on the side of the road as the deer bounded, uninjured and carefree, out of sight, and laughed. It was just too ridiculous at that point, to do anything else!
And from there, I picked myself up, and brushed myself off, and said, okay, there’s only one way to go from here. Forward. And that’s what I did. There I was at the age of harrurmphemmph, living in my one, mostly undamaged remaining room, with a dorm-sized mini-fridge, a futon, a TV, my cat (nine lives!) and a laptop. And not much else. (Though thank goodness the room that survived the fire, was a room that had its own attached bathroom!)
Since then I have rebuilt my beloved home, which really has become my haven, my “Serenity.” I share it now with my fiancé, Lance, and we have accumulated quite the little family together. “Little” being a relative term. We have a pair of English Mastiffs, Dozer and Daisy, who weigh 203 pounds and 208 pounds respectively, and a little pudgy English Bulldog named Niblet, who is bigger than both of them, inside her mind. We also have the aforementioned cat, Glorificus (“Glory” for short,) who adores her canine pups and keeps them firmly in line. And we've acquired a pair of stray cats as well, a mother and son, Luna (Lulu for short) and Butters aka Buddy. Lulu showed up pregnant during a lunar eclipse, had a litter, and vanished again. We found homes for all the kittens except one. Butters. We got him fixed and kept him. A few months later, Lulu returned, again expecting. This litter was born on the "Monster Moon." Again, all the kittens were spayed and neutered and placed in homes, and this time we got Lulu to the vet in time to spay her before the cycle could repeat.
Glory is not amused.
She has a story of her own, my old Glory cat, having been with me before the Dark Times descended, she went through it all with me, moved with me, survived the fire, and remains with me still. She's tolerating the newcomers. Barely.
My partner is an artist, a mechanic, a welder and an inventor, and the rumors are true, he is much younger than I
My house is a big, century old farmhouse. I moved in here after my divorce in 2006. Just a little over a year later, the house, which I had named, SERENITY, burned. It was 99% gutted, and I lost my two dogs, Sally, an 11-year-old great Dane, and Wrinkles, my 14-year-old, blind bulldog. This was the culmination of my Dark Night of the soul, which had seemed to hit me all at once in 2006-2007. My mother died that year, after a 14 month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was only 60. The youngest of my five daughters had left home that same year, and while that’s not a tragedy at all, it felt like one to me. Then came the divorce. And finally there was the fire--it seemed my darkest night wasn’t quite finished with me after all. I had lost almost everything before that point, and as I poked through the wet ashes and soot the next day, I realized that I had now been stripped all the way to the bone.
No better time to start over. (And no, I didn’t come to that realization that day--there were a few days of wallowing in pity first, particularly the day after the fire, when I hit a deer and smashed up my car, which I was practically living in!)
That’s when I started to laugh. Just sat on the side of the road as the deer bounded, uninjured and carefree, out of sight, and laughed. It was just too ridiculous at that point, to do anything else!
And from there, I picked myself up, and brushed myself off, and said, okay, there’s only one way to go from here. Forward. And that’s what I did. There I was at the age of harrurmphemmph, living in my one, mostly undamaged remaining room, with a dorm-sized mini-fridge, a futon, a TV, my cat (nine lives!) and a laptop. And not much else. (Though thank goodness the room that survived the fire, was a room that had its own attached bathroom!)
Since then I have rebuilt my beloved home, which really has become my haven, my “Serenity.” I share it now with my fiancé, Lance, and we have accumulated quite the little family together. “Little” being a relative term. We have a pair of English Mastiffs, Dozer and Daisy, who weigh 203 pounds and 208 pounds respectively, and a little pudgy English Bulldog named Niblet, who is bigger than both of them, inside her mind. We also have the aforementioned cat, Glorificus (“Glory” for short,) who adores her canine pups and keeps them firmly in line. And we've acquired a pair of stray cats as well, a mother and son, Luna (Lulu for short) and Butters aka Buddy. Lulu showed up pregnant during a lunar eclipse, had a litter, and vanished again. We found homes for all the kittens except one. Butters. We got him fixed and kept him. A few months later, Lulu returned, again expecting. This litter was born on the "Monster Moon." Again, all the kittens were spayed and neutered and placed in homes, and this time we got Lulu to the vet in time to spay her before the cycle could repeat.
Glory is not amused.
She has a story of her own, my old Glory cat, having been with me before the Dark Times descended, she went through it all with me, moved with me, survived the fire, and remains with me still. She's tolerating the newcomers. Barely.
My partner is an artist, a mechanic, a welder and an inventor, and the rumors are true, he is much younger than I
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
July 3, 2009
Kick Ass contains four short stories by four different authors.
The Bride Wore a .44 by Maggie Shayne
Kira is about to get married to what her mom thinks is a perfect match. Kira doesn't seem to care one way or the other. She had an accident in Africa a few months back and she hasn't cared about anything since. Literally. Ever since the accident she has had no feelings about anything. At all.
As the wedding gets closer and closer she starts to remember things a little more from her past. When she runs into her Wedding Planner late the night before her wedding in her backyard Kira reacts more like a paid assassin than a debutante - Which makes her wonder who the hell she really is.
This story reminded me a little of the movie The Long Kiss Goodnight with Geena Davis & Samual L. Jackson. It was fun to read and If there were more stories with these two in them I would put them on my "To Read" shelf in a minute. Good chemistry and good action.
The Incredible Misdventures of Boo and the Boy Blunder by Mary Janice Davidson
Boo is a hot albino Vampire hunter. Gregory is a Vampire who used to be a cop and now runs a security company. (Hard to be a cop and a Vampire I guess. Hiding your fangs at shootings and car accidents...Not fun.) When a bad Vampire who likes to kill children shows up in Gregs territory he decides to hire "the Ghost" to help him kill the rogue vampire. Problem is Boo hates all vampires and pretty much thinks they are all after one thing. Her blood.
As always with Mary Janice Davidson's writing it was fun, fast and ended way to quick. I am always disappointed that her books are so quick! But I think that is the nature of her writing. It hits hard and fast like a cobra with fake glasses and a big nose. Love her!
Warfem by Angela Knight
Alina is a Samurai Class Warfem genetically engineered for combat. Lately all the means is running errands for the Evil Bitch who heads the house she serves. While out on yet another delivery she is followed by Data Thieves. She takes them on with no problem - but it seems to be a trap and when the Tevan (think huge Lizard like cyborg) starts to take Alina down she is relieved when a Warlord steps into the action to give her a hand.
Turns out the Warlord is her old partner Baird. Once they get the Tevan on the run they head back to his place and lick each others wounds. Alina is happy to see her old partner and (coincidentally) the love of her life again, but she has some big secrets that she needs to keep secret from the man she loves - which really puts a strain on things. When Baird announces that he is heading in the same direction as Alina - she has to wonder at such a coincidence. She hasn't seen him in years and years and suddenly he saves her in a fight AND is on the same ship as her for the next three days? Huh.
I started this and thought - OH NO. Sci-Fi! I thought about skipping this story - but I hate skipping sections. I feel like it's lazy. It's cheating. And you never know what you might miss. When I hit the spot where they go back to his place after the fight and they are about to get down and dirty, I hit a brick wall in my head at this sentence: "He grabbed the seal of his unisuit and dragged it down in one ruthless motion." Um... What? UNISUIT? Suddenly I am picturing this guy in a leotard with chest hair springing free at the neckline. Eeeep. Even with that description I kept going. And in the end I am glad I did. I am still not a fan of Sci-fi, but this wasn't bad.
Painkillers by Jacey Ford
Lauren is a super model and an operative for the CIA. After years of unimportant intel work she finally got bumped up to Field Agent status. She even completed her 3 week training corse at 'The Farm' where the other agents train. Of course she was the only one there but no worries. She got her Secret Agents Handbook with decoder bookmark and she was all set for her first real case! She's been flown to a little tropical island for a swim ware photo shoot and to keep an eye on a possible rebel uprising on the island.
Her "backup" Jake Haven arrived as Lauren was at her photo shoot. He decides to leave Lauren a note in the room and finds the mission plans taped to the underside of the desk drawer and shakes his head. His handler at the CIA said that Lauren wasn't a real agent and had been brought into the CIA to uncover low priority intel. As a super model she has access to parties and people that would be difficult for the CIA to infiltrate - so getting her to report on the body gaurd situation surrounding a certain Prince or what the layout of a house was at a party she attended was a perfect match for the CIA and for Lauren.
When Jake and Lauren find themselves in trouble with the rebels they work together to get out of the mess and of course the fire ignites between them as this is all going on.
I really liked this story. I found Lauren and Jake fairly believable. I did want to slap Lauran a little when she thought she was a "real agent" but mostly I bought into it. I think having Angela Knight's story in front of this one where people are having sex in weightless rooms on space ships and there are blue people and lizard people - well I think that sort of set me up to just accept whatever I read and it carried into this story. So when Lauren talked about her "Secret Agent Handbook" I didn't even blink.
In the end I found this couple really likeable and the story was good. Another one that made me think of a movie as I read it (True Lies) and I also wish there was a series centered around this couple. They were good together!
Overall I really liked this book.
The Bride Wore a .44 by Maggie Shayne
Kira is about to get married to what her mom thinks is a perfect match. Kira doesn't seem to care one way or the other. She had an accident in Africa a few months back and she hasn't cared about anything since. Literally. Ever since the accident she has had no feelings about anything. At all.
As the wedding gets closer and closer she starts to remember things a little more from her past. When she runs into her Wedding Planner late the night before her wedding in her backyard Kira reacts more like a paid assassin than a debutante - Which makes her wonder who the hell she really is.
This story reminded me a little of the movie The Long Kiss Goodnight with Geena Davis & Samual L. Jackson. It was fun to read and If there were more stories with these two in them I would put them on my "To Read" shelf in a minute. Good chemistry and good action.
The Incredible Misdventures of Boo and the Boy Blunder by Mary Janice Davidson
Boo is a hot albino Vampire hunter. Gregory is a Vampire who used to be a cop and now runs a security company. (Hard to be a cop and a Vampire I guess. Hiding your fangs at shootings and car accidents...Not fun.) When a bad Vampire who likes to kill children shows up in Gregs territory he decides to hire "the Ghost" to help him kill the rogue vampire. Problem is Boo hates all vampires and pretty much thinks they are all after one thing. Her blood.
As always with Mary Janice Davidson's writing it was fun, fast and ended way to quick. I am always disappointed that her books are so quick! But I think that is the nature of her writing. It hits hard and fast like a cobra with fake glasses and a big nose. Love her!
Warfem by Angela Knight
Alina is a Samurai Class Warfem genetically engineered for combat. Lately all the means is running errands for the Evil Bitch who heads the house she serves. While out on yet another delivery she is followed by Data Thieves. She takes them on with no problem - but it seems to be a trap and when the Tevan (think huge Lizard like cyborg) starts to take Alina down she is relieved when a Warlord steps into the action to give her a hand.
Turns out the Warlord is her old partner Baird. Once they get the Tevan on the run they head back to his place and lick each others wounds. Alina is happy to see her old partner and (coincidentally) the love of her life again, but she has some big secrets that she needs to keep secret from the man she loves - which really puts a strain on things. When Baird announces that he is heading in the same direction as Alina - she has to wonder at such a coincidence. She hasn't seen him in years and years and suddenly he saves her in a fight AND is on the same ship as her for the next three days? Huh.
I started this and thought - OH NO. Sci-Fi! I thought about skipping this story - but I hate skipping sections. I feel like it's lazy. It's cheating. And you never know what you might miss. When I hit the spot where they go back to his place after the fight and they are about to get down and dirty, I hit a brick wall in my head at this sentence: "He grabbed the seal of his unisuit and dragged it down in one ruthless motion." Um... What? UNISUIT? Suddenly I am picturing this guy in a leotard with chest hair springing free at the neckline. Eeeep. Even with that description I kept going. And in the end I am glad I did. I am still not a fan of Sci-fi, but this wasn't bad.
Painkillers by Jacey Ford
Lauren is a super model and an operative for the CIA. After years of unimportant intel work she finally got bumped up to Field Agent status. She even completed her 3 week training corse at 'The Farm' where the other agents train. Of course she was the only one there but no worries. She got her Secret Agents Handbook with decoder bookmark and she was all set for her first real case! She's been flown to a little tropical island for a swim ware photo shoot and to keep an eye on a possible rebel uprising on the island.
Her "backup" Jake Haven arrived as Lauren was at her photo shoot. He decides to leave Lauren a note in the room and finds the mission plans taped to the underside of the desk drawer and shakes his head. His handler at the CIA said that Lauren wasn't a real agent and had been brought into the CIA to uncover low priority intel. As a super model she has access to parties and people that would be difficult for the CIA to infiltrate - so getting her to report on the body gaurd situation surrounding a certain Prince or what the layout of a house was at a party she attended was a perfect match for the CIA and for Lauren.
When Jake and Lauren find themselves in trouble with the rebels they work together to get out of the mess and of course the fire ignites between them as this is all going on.
I really liked this story. I found Lauren and Jake fairly believable. I did want to slap Lauran a little when she thought she was a "real agent" but mostly I bought into it. I think having Angela Knight's story in front of this one where people are having sex in weightless rooms on space ships and there are blue people and lizard people - well I think that sort of set me up to just accept whatever I read and it carried into this story. So when Lauren talked about her "Secret Agent Handbook" I didn't even blink.
In the end I found this couple really likeable and the story was good. Another one that made me think of a movie as I read it (True Lies) and I also wish there was a series centered around this couple. They were good together!
Overall I really liked this book.
December 14, 2008
4 short stories. 3 are nothing special. MaryJanice Davidson's is not as good as her normal, which makes it still better than most. Everyone who likes, or even tolerates, vampires, werewolves or fantasy should read everything MaryJanice writes. She's hilarious and smart and terrific.
December 21, 2012
An anthology of four stories ranging from conrom to paranormal, all featuring kick ass heroines. How could I resist?
In The Bride Wore A .44, we are introduced to a woman about to get married. She's suffered severe head trauma and doesn't remember much of anything before her current life, in which she just believes everything her mother tells her. She even wears the clothes her mother buys her. But when it all falls into place, she discovers she's an agent about to marry the bad guy. What will she do? Full of fighting, shoot outs, sweet revelations, I really enjoyed this one. Def my kind of heroine. Implausible? Totally, but this is the kind of book one sits down and reads for fun.
The second story by Mary Janice Davidson is about an albino vampire hunter, her geeky and accidental sidekick, a vampire stand up comedian, and an assassination job. It's just plain wonderfully funny. I'm not into vampires, but this, I loved. My fave vampire story ever! From the names the heroine called everyone to the funny sayings to the all black chess pieces, it's just a riot. No real romance. The romance was weak, but I didn't care. This was my favorite.
If I was rating those two stories, it would be a five. The last two...to be completely fair, the third story is science fiction and I skipped it. I'm just really not into people changing species and stuff. Reviews on Goodreads and such claim that's the one of them all though, so don't let this deter you.
The fourth story threw too much at me at once. Three brothers, a super model/CIA agent I didn't like, and a male CIA agent. It lost my interest quick. I had to read the brothers' passage twice to figure out who was who and what was going on.
In The Bride Wore A .44, we are introduced to a woman about to get married. She's suffered severe head trauma and doesn't remember much of anything before her current life, in which she just believes everything her mother tells her. She even wears the clothes her mother buys her. But when it all falls into place, she discovers she's an agent about to marry the bad guy. What will she do? Full of fighting, shoot outs, sweet revelations, I really enjoyed this one. Def my kind of heroine. Implausible? Totally, but this is the kind of book one sits down and reads for fun.
The second story by Mary Janice Davidson is about an albino vampire hunter, her geeky and accidental sidekick, a vampire stand up comedian, and an assassination job. It's just plain wonderfully funny. I'm not into vampires, but this, I loved. My fave vampire story ever! From the names the heroine called everyone to the funny sayings to the all black chess pieces, it's just a riot. No real romance. The romance was weak, but I didn't care. This was my favorite.
If I was rating those two stories, it would be a five. The last two...to be completely fair, the third story is science fiction and I skipped it. I'm just really not into people changing species and stuff. Reviews on Goodreads and such claim that's the one of them all though, so don't let this deter you.
The fourth story threw too much at me at once. Three brothers, a super model/CIA agent I didn't like, and a male CIA agent. It lost my interest quick. I had to read the brothers' passage twice to figure out who was who and what was going on.
November 10, 2011
Other than Angela Knight's Warfem, now available in a volume with its sequel Jane's Warlord, I did not find anything fascinating in this volume. Maggie Shayne's plot was so unbelievable that it detracted from the romance. MaryJanice Davidon's story was too cute to be interesting. I couldn't even interest myself in finishing Jacey Ford's contribution (a deep cover spy whose cover is being a supermodel? Oh, come on now.)
The best I can say about the stories is that the fight/chase scenes are true to the title, making some of the action fun to read. The sex scenes were OK too.
For me, Knight's Warfem made this worth the price of admission. Because of the rest, I'm glad I got this secondhand for only $3.45.
The best I can say about the stories is that the fight/chase scenes are true to the title, making some of the action fun to read. The sex scenes were OK too.
For me, Knight's Warfem made this worth the price of admission. Because of the rest, I'm glad I got this secondhand for only $3.45.
Read
February 2, 2008The Maggie Shayne & Angela Knight stories in this anthology were awesome & made the book a Keeper for me.
November 5, 2018
“The Bride Wore a .44” by Maggie Shayne
Six months ago, Kira Shanahan woke up with no memory, and she’s relied on her mom to help her get her life back together. Turns out, Kira was engaged to a gorgeous man named Peter, and now their wedding is a week away. Kira doesn’t love or even remember Peter, but she has the hots for her sexy wedding planner.
Marshall Waters loves Kira, but he can’t tell her the truth since he and his fellow DEA agents are continuing their mission, just waiting for the right moment to take Peter down.
I love this story. Kira is a badass chick, Marshall (Michael) is sooo understanding, and they made for a perfect warrior couple. Even though she has severe amnesia and is just going through the motions of living, when her memory slowly starts to return, her true self emerges from the scared, timid woman she’s been for months. Her gut instinct and training kicks into gear, and she finally knows what she wants!
4.5 Stars
“The Incredible Misadventures of Boo and the Boy Blunder” by Mary Janice Davidson
Boo is a tough-ass human vampire hunter and works alone. Period. No one knows her name so every calls her “Ghost” because of her pale skin and white hair. After she saves a human from a vampire attack, she finds herself with an annoying sidekick she can’t seem to shake. Eddie, whom she calls Boy Blunder, is a total dork who loves pop culture, and he’s not even terrified he almost became a vampire’s dinner.
Gregory is a vampire with a fascination for Boo. All vampires have heard of her, and he’s been following her career for years. When he hires her to kill another vampire, a child murderer, Gregory also teams up with Boo and her new sidekick, hoping but not really expecting anymore more to form between him and Boo besides a grudging work partnership.
The best part of this book is Eddie. He’s absolutely hilarious, frankly honest, and just a sweet, fun person. This novella is more comedic than romantic. In fact, the romance is a minor subplot while humor takes over the whole story as the three main characters learn to work together in pursuit of the bad guy. It’s a funny story, but not what I usually read.
3 Stars
“Warfem” by Angela Knight
In this second prequel to the Time Hunters series, there are different types of humans scattered across the galaxy. Some are just normal humans with no special abilities, but others are Warlords and Warfems, genetically altered humans to be machine-like warriors.
Warfem Alina Kasi is working as a courier for the president of the Kasi House, knowingly moving stolen gems from the business’s coffers. Though she hates Rajin Kasi, she has to obey the cruel woman or Alina’s son will die.
Warlord Baird Arvid doesn’t want to believe his former lover Alina is a traitor to Vardon, but the evidence suggests otherwise. He’s determined to uncover the truth about her loyalties, but he’s still angry and hurt over her cold dismissal years earlier. When they meet again, he soon realizes Alina is definitely hiding something.
Alina and Baird are strong, awesome characters. Alina had to make some tough choices over years, but love and survival fueled her every action. I would’ve preferred a more in-depth back-story for Baird, but I still felt like I got to know him almost as much as I did Alina. Despite the years and secrets between them, the love and chemistry between the H/h was still there, and it was fun seeing them fall in love all over again. They definitely fit well together.
5 Stars
“Painkillers” by Jacey Ford
Supermodel and CIA spy/informant Lauren Devlin is in the Caribbean for a modeling shoot and to find out who is funding the rebels that are threatening a military coup. The CIA wants the current president in power since he actually cares for the people of Isla Suspiro, so Lauren and her new partner have to stop the rebels any way they can.
CIA agent Jake Haven knows the rebels will attack soon, and he’s sent to the island to warn the president of the impending attack. Things take a turn for the worse when the rebel forces kidnap Jake and Lauren. But something is going on with the rebels, things aren’t what they seem, and the rebels might not be the bad guys after all.
Jake and Lauren work great together. They both hide from the outside, pretending to be what other people expect from them, but they found a kindred soul in each other.
I liked the story, but the pacing was slow, and I felt as though I knew too much about the bad guys early on. There wasn’t much mystery in the story because of that.
3.5 Stars
All of these novellas have snappy dialogue and likeable characters, and I’m happy I read the anthology.
Overall Book – 4 Stars
Disclaimer – I bought this book for my own enjoyment. I am not paid or compensated in any way, shape, or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.
Six months ago, Kira Shanahan woke up with no memory, and she’s relied on her mom to help her get her life back together. Turns out, Kira was engaged to a gorgeous man named Peter, and now their wedding is a week away. Kira doesn’t love or even remember Peter, but she has the hots for her sexy wedding planner.
Marshall Waters loves Kira, but he can’t tell her the truth since he and his fellow DEA agents are continuing their mission, just waiting for the right moment to take Peter down.
I love this story. Kira is a badass chick, Marshall (Michael) is sooo understanding, and they made for a perfect warrior couple. Even though she has severe amnesia and is just going through the motions of living, when her memory slowly starts to return, her true self emerges from the scared, timid woman she’s been for months. Her gut instinct and training kicks into gear, and she finally knows what she wants!
4.5 Stars
“The Incredible Misadventures of Boo and the Boy Blunder” by Mary Janice Davidson
Boo is a tough-ass human vampire hunter and works alone. Period. No one knows her name so every calls her “Ghost” because of her pale skin and white hair. After she saves a human from a vampire attack, she finds herself with an annoying sidekick she can’t seem to shake. Eddie, whom she calls Boy Blunder, is a total dork who loves pop culture, and he’s not even terrified he almost became a vampire’s dinner.
Gregory is a vampire with a fascination for Boo. All vampires have heard of her, and he’s been following her career for years. When he hires her to kill another vampire, a child murderer, Gregory also teams up with Boo and her new sidekick, hoping but not really expecting anymore more to form between him and Boo besides a grudging work partnership.
The best part of this book is Eddie. He’s absolutely hilarious, frankly honest, and just a sweet, fun person. This novella is more comedic than romantic. In fact, the romance is a minor subplot while humor takes over the whole story as the three main characters learn to work together in pursuit of the bad guy. It’s a funny story, but not what I usually read.
3 Stars
“Warfem” by Angela Knight
In this second prequel to the Time Hunters series, there are different types of humans scattered across the galaxy. Some are just normal humans with no special abilities, but others are Warlords and Warfems, genetically altered humans to be machine-like warriors.
Warfem Alina Kasi is working as a courier for the president of the Kasi House, knowingly moving stolen gems from the business’s coffers. Though she hates Rajin Kasi, she has to obey the cruel woman or Alina’s son will die.
Warlord Baird Arvid doesn’t want to believe his former lover Alina is a traitor to Vardon, but the evidence suggests otherwise. He’s determined to uncover the truth about her loyalties, but he’s still angry and hurt over her cold dismissal years earlier. When they meet again, he soon realizes Alina is definitely hiding something.
Alina and Baird are strong, awesome characters. Alina had to make some tough choices over years, but love and survival fueled her every action. I would’ve preferred a more in-depth back-story for Baird, but I still felt like I got to know him almost as much as I did Alina. Despite the years and secrets between them, the love and chemistry between the H/h was still there, and it was fun seeing them fall in love all over again. They definitely fit well together.
5 Stars
“Painkillers” by Jacey Ford
Supermodel and CIA spy/informant Lauren Devlin is in the Caribbean for a modeling shoot and to find out who is funding the rebels that are threatening a military coup. The CIA wants the current president in power since he actually cares for the people of Isla Suspiro, so Lauren and her new partner have to stop the rebels any way they can.
CIA agent Jake Haven knows the rebels will attack soon, and he’s sent to the island to warn the president of the impending attack. Things take a turn for the worse when the rebel forces kidnap Jake and Lauren. But something is going on with the rebels, things aren’t what they seem, and the rebels might not be the bad guys after all.
Jake and Lauren work great together. They both hide from the outside, pretending to be what other people expect from them, but they found a kindred soul in each other.
I liked the story, but the pacing was slow, and I felt as though I knew too much about the bad guys early on. There wasn’t much mystery in the story because of that.
3.5 Stars
All of these novellas have snappy dialogue and likeable characters, and I’m happy I read the anthology.
Overall Book – 4 Stars
Disclaimer – I bought this book for my own enjoyment. I am not paid or compensated in any way, shape, or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.
November 13, 2018
Hoooooooooly crap, the Bride Wore a .44..... What a good story. The heroine was kick-assy, but also a normal human being and not an embittered sexless crone like so many other literature-law-enforcement-women are. Her husband? What a sweetie! And all the angst he must have had! I may have fallen in love.
The Incredible Misadventures of Boo and the Boy Blunder - this story needed to be about a billion times longer. It was literally just cut off before any questions were answered other than "Will Boo sleep with a vampire". The blurb speaks of soul mates... no such thing in the story, just a guy with a crush on a girl, and them starting dating and having sex twice (and only 1/2 of the first time was described). No biting even! NOPE.
The Warfem story or whatever was okay. I couldn't really get into it for some reason. Maybe because I didn't understand the universe too well, so I couldn't get into the story because I didn't understand all the ramifications. And Alina really should have trusted Baird.
Painkillers - Okay, I understand why some of the others wrote that this story is unrealistic. I agree that it basically reads like a movie. But, I have an acquaintance who was hired by the FBI as a student, so I can attest they really do hire lots of different people. What was extremely attractive about this story was the endearing way Jake thought so lowly of himself, it was adorable. I wish I could have seen them get together after. I can imagine there being another whole thing where they're now back in the US and he's concerned she only agreed to date him because of the situation they were in, etc. Delicious angst. :D
The Incredible Misadventures of Boo and the Boy Blunder - this story needed to be about a billion times longer. It was literally just cut off before any questions were answered other than "Will Boo sleep with a vampire". The blurb speaks of soul mates... no such thing in the story, just a guy with a crush on a girl, and them starting dating and having sex twice (and only 1/2 of the first time was described). No biting even! NOPE.
The Warfem story or whatever was okay. I couldn't really get into it for some reason. Maybe because I didn't understand the universe too well, so I couldn't get into the story because I didn't understand all the ramifications. And Alina really should have trusted Baird.
Painkillers - Okay, I understand why some of the others wrote that this story is unrealistic. I agree that it basically reads like a movie. But, I have an acquaintance who was hired by the FBI as a student, so I can attest they really do hire lots of different people. What was extremely attractive about this story was the endearing way Jake thought so lowly of himself, it was adorable. I wish I could have seen them get together after. I can imagine there being another whole thing where they're now back in the US and he's concerned she only agreed to date him because of the situation they were in, etc. Delicious angst. :D
April 8, 2024
Very basic writing and poorly timed smut scenes. This is supposed to be a book about badass women. But instead it was a book about women being so enamored by mediocre men, that they just have them in the middle of a jungle!!??? Just an all around weird book with barely any plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2019
Anthology of 4 stories that were OK. The Shayne and Davidson had some humor, Knight was sexy sci-fi and Ford blah. I whipped through them very fast since none really made me want to linger.
Read
June 25, 2019Read "The Incredible Misadventures of Boo & the Boy Blunder" by MaryJanice Davidson; "Warfem" by Angela Knight; "The Bride Wore a .44" by Maggie Shayne
June 1, 2011
Short stories can sometimes be frustrating.
It feels like they are really a bigger story that has been cut down and the ending chopped...... but these stories are different and I enjoyed the ride
the first story follows a girl getting married and leaving all the preparations to her mother.... Kira was almost killed in an explosion that killed her father - she sustained massive head injuries and lost her memory...only 6 months ago
She feels no passion for her fiance but she has started to lust after her wedding planner
a complete rivotting and delightful story....
I have finished reading all 4 stories and I had written a review for each of them but my computer froze before I saved it
This is the first time I checked and realised I have lost it :(
there was a story about an albino vampire killer who falls for a vampire (aka buffy) and she saves a boy who tags along
there is a spacey tale about a Warlord and Warfem(female warrior) who are seperated by circumstance and keep apart by villians - she is blackmailed into helping bad guys because she now has a son
there is this treaured moment when the son (who is largely ignored and 10) suddenly shows that he is indeed his fathers son when he rescues his dad and gives him a cheeky grin and says 'Hi Dad'... drama then everyone can play happy families.
the last story is about a model who thinks she is a spy and a real spy who is her body guard and the tropical island they they been sent to.
3 brothers from the dead dictator want differnt things for the tiny nation and the nations' only source of income is from local rum... but one brother gets greedy and starts adding drugs to the rum - that are taken out in USA - bad brother tries to kill favorite brother who get elected.. and youngest brother trys to help and things get complicated when the model starts giving rum away to the people then realises that this batch of rum was laced with Viagra...all the good guys win
It feels like they are really a bigger story that has been cut down and the ending chopped...... but these stories are different and I enjoyed the ride
the first story follows a girl getting married and leaving all the preparations to her mother.... Kira was almost killed in an explosion that killed her father - she sustained massive head injuries and lost her memory...only 6 months ago
She feels no passion for her fiance but she has started to lust after her wedding planner
a complete rivotting and delightful story....
I have finished reading all 4 stories and I had written a review for each of them but my computer froze before I saved it
This is the first time I checked and realised I have lost it :(
there was a story about an albino vampire killer who falls for a vampire (aka buffy) and she saves a boy who tags along
there is a spacey tale about a Warlord and Warfem(female warrior) who are seperated by circumstance and keep apart by villians - she is blackmailed into helping bad guys because she now has a son
there is this treaured moment when the son (who is largely ignored and 10) suddenly shows that he is indeed his fathers son when he rescues his dad and gives him a cheeky grin and says 'Hi Dad'... drama then everyone can play happy families.
the last story is about a model who thinks she is a spy and a real spy who is her body guard and the tropical island they they been sent to.
3 brothers from the dead dictator want differnt things for the tiny nation and the nations' only source of income is from local rum... but one brother gets greedy and starts adding drugs to the rum - that are taken out in USA - bad brother tries to kill favorite brother who get elected.. and youngest brother trys to help and things get complicated when the model starts giving rum away to the people then realises that this batch of rum was laced with Viagra...all the good guys win
January 23, 2010
Not too bad an anthology, but all of the stories seemed abrupt on the wrap-up. The women and men involved are kick-ass equals and it's nice to see the "partners in crime-fighting" dynamic.
The Bride Wore a .44 by Maggie Shayne.
Amnesiac bride is a little stunned when her memories begin to return--along with her vast fondness for guns. Rushed and a little anti-climactic, but I liked the couple enough that I may look up more by this author.
The Incredible Misadventures of Boo and the Boy Blunder by MJD.
I love the title. So ludicrous. And the author's note: "There are vampire hunters, and there are albinos, but usually they aren't one and the same." Boo is the albino vampire slayer and Eddie becomes the Boy Blunder after she saves his uber-geek tuckus and he starts following her around like an overenthusiastic puppy. They soon meet Greg, a vamp who's still a cop at heart. As the stakes and sparks fly, Boo starts to think that maybe not all undead are slavering fiends. Not MJD's funniest, but I'm still fiercely hoping for a meeting between Betsy and Boo.
Warfem by Angela Knight.
I've only read one other story by Knight (based in her Mageverse) and didn't enjoy it. By comparison, this futuristic space story of genetically engineered warriors wasn't as cliched and bears some potential. Not sure if I'd seek out more from her, but the sex was pretty hot!
Painkillers by Jacey Ford.
Reminiscent of Miss Congeniality, but in reverse. A supermodel is recruited as a low-level CIA operative. The token agent and her handler arrive on an island nation on the verge of being torn apart by political unrest and sibling rivalry. Lauren is a little too gullible for words and, as others have noted, this one felt contrived.
The Bride Wore a .44 by Maggie Shayne.
Amnesiac bride is a little stunned when her memories begin to return--along with her vast fondness for guns. Rushed and a little anti-climactic, but I liked the couple enough that I may look up more by this author.
The Incredible Misadventures of Boo and the Boy Blunder by MJD.
I love the title. So ludicrous. And the author's note: "There are vampire hunters, and there are albinos, but usually they aren't one and the same." Boo is the albino vampire slayer and Eddie becomes the Boy Blunder after she saves his uber-geek tuckus and he starts following her around like an overenthusiastic puppy. They soon meet Greg, a vamp who's still a cop at heart. As the stakes and sparks fly, Boo starts to think that maybe not all undead are slavering fiends. Not MJD's funniest, but I'm still fiercely hoping for a meeting between Betsy and Boo.
Warfem by Angela Knight.
I've only read one other story by Knight (based in her Mageverse) and didn't enjoy it. By comparison, this futuristic space story of genetically engineered warriors wasn't as cliched and bears some potential. Not sure if I'd seek out more from her, but the sex was pretty hot!
Painkillers by Jacey Ford.
Reminiscent of Miss Congeniality, but in reverse. A supermodel is recruited as a low-level CIA operative. The token agent and her handler arrive on an island nation on the verge of being torn apart by political unrest and sibling rivalry. Lauren is a little too gullible for words and, as others have noted, this one felt contrived.
January 19, 2012
I enjoy fun, cheesy, romance anthologies, especially when the romance is simply part of the story, rather than the complete focus. In this one, we have a spy with amnesia, an albino vampire hunter, a futuristic genetically altered human (though there was never really any discussion about her being human, I suppose we can settle on "humanoid"), and a supermodel who is a part-time spy.
Out of the 4 stories, the last one was both the best and the most infuriating. I loved the relationship between our hero and heroine, and the bad guy (guys?) was quite brilliant, but it had that Moment. No, not the fun, cute, romantic type of moment, but the one that brings you straight out of the story to say "What the f@%!?" Here's a paraphrase of the line that did this for me:
"She would stand out in these clothes like a chubby girl at a cheer-leading competition"
And this is thought of by our supermodel-turned-secret-agent heroine. Now, I am not a skinny girl by any stretch of the imagination, so perhaps that is why I was rather offended by this line, but I don't think I am the only one. It comes in the middle of a fairly action-packed sequence where the heroine has managed to escape from capture, and is trying to a)remain hidden and b)find and rescue our hero (who is currently trying to find and rescue our heroine - which was very cute). I think that leaving the line at just the acknowledgement that she would stand out in the clothes the bad guys gave her was more than enough, and continuing on like she did was unnecessary and offensive, especially coming from a supermodel.
Out of the 4 stories, the last one was both the best and the most infuriating. I loved the relationship between our hero and heroine, and the bad guy (guys?) was quite brilliant, but it had that Moment. No, not the fun, cute, romantic type of moment, but the one that brings you straight out of the story to say "What the f@%!?" Here's a paraphrase of the line that did this for me:
"She would stand out in these clothes like a chubby girl at a cheer-leading competition"
And this is thought of by our supermodel-turned-secret-agent heroine. Now, I am not a skinny girl by any stretch of the imagination, so perhaps that is why I was rather offended by this line, but I don't think I am the only one. It comes in the middle of a fairly action-packed sequence where the heroine has managed to escape from capture, and is trying to a)remain hidden and b)find and rescue our hero (who is currently trying to find and rescue our heroine - which was very cute). I think that leaving the line at just the acknowledgement that she would stand out in the clothes the bad guys gave her was more than enough, and continuing on like she did was unnecessary and offensive, especially coming from a supermodel.
November 2, 2008
I picked up this book at the Phoenix Friends of the Library book sale, thinking it was erotica/smut/sex, but it's more romance novel. Oh, well, now that I look on the back cover, there it says as plain as day (but in rather small print) "romance." I will not be hauling this 330 page tome back to Kansas with me. I will leave it here for my sis to donate to Goodwill or back to the Friends for their next book sale.
I'm glad I only spent 50 cents on this one.
I guess it's not bad if one likes the tease without the action that is the romance novel, but I need more descriptive sex if I'm going to be satisfied.
I'm glad I only spent 50 cents on this one.
I guess it's not bad if one likes the tease without the action that is the romance novel, but I need more descriptive sex if I'm going to be satisfied.
February 20, 2009
I just finished the first story & have moved on to the second. Oh how disappointed I am so far! Maybe I shouldn't have been so excited. Not to say Maggie Shayne's story was horrible. Just slow...then better... to oh that's it? And now I have started MaryJanice Davidson's story I'm hoping things will get better but so far...well not yet! Davidson's story was good but definitely not her best. The other two short stories I muddled through and thought that they where okay at best. I was definitely disappointed with this, but had to read because I love Davidson so much!
April 13, 2012
This is an anthology: four stories about strong, tough women who tangle with the bad guys and have incredibly raunchy sex. The women are all different—some are trained, some are chosen, some just fall into their rugged way of life—but the underlying theme of powerful femininity is largely similar. My absolute favorite would have to be “The Incredible Misadventures of Boo and the Boy Blunder” if only because this story features the only heroine in the lot who doesn’t need to be rescued or protected.
March 17, 2009
Four short stories that are action with a heavy touch of romance. However, the action takes the stage as these are no ordinary heroines--they are kick butt gals! One is a spy, one a genetically modified warrior, one a vampire slayer and another an undercover agent. Oh yeah, some butts are gonna be kicked and some heads are gonna roll!
I'm not usually interested in short stories, but these ones read like full-length novels.
I'm not usually interested in short stories, but these ones read like full-length novels.
Read
August 23, 2012Great for an anthology like most stories felt rushed but they are shortish stories. I originally started this book for boo and the boy wonder I had read of them before in the queen Betsy series and loved the whole dynamic of a vampire dating vampire hunter and her oh so quick on his toes sidekick. But once I read the bride wore a 44 I knew I had yo devour Mrs Shaun's
Just a great read all together. Definitely recommended
Just a great read all together. Definitely recommended
October 22, 2009
I enjoyed two of the four stories in this book. The last story was ridiculous and very hard for me to finish. I truly enjoyed reading about "kick ass" women. They aren't that kick ass but they were good enough. I'm not a fan of romance and there was a little too much of that laced throughout each story.
May 19, 2010
I only read 2 of the stories, the Maggie Shayne story and the Angela Knight story. I really liked them both! Angela Knight's sci fi was really cool. Both of them have sex scenes, too, which I guess is to be expected!
December 17, 2008
This is a mindless read. It's not really well written and it's not going to make you think, but it's a nice quick read for a rainy day or an afternoon at the beach. Angela Knight's Warfem has an interesting plot and I think it's the best of the four.
July 28, 2010
A series of four short stories gathered together in one tome. The last of the four was definitely the weakest link. The SF was different and the Boo the VampireSlayer story made me chuckle once or twice. Not the greatest collection, but certainly not the worst thing I've read either.
October 22, 2021
All I saw was the stiletto boots and Ms. Knight's name. I picked up the book and went on for a fun erotic ride. All four stories are enjoyable and fun. Plus, the females are BAMF, especially Ms. Knight's. I wish she would write more in that universe.
February 20, 2011
This book had some good stories. I enjoyed reading them even though there were a few cheesy parts. The stories were interesting though and fun to read. Basically, they're just a few good action-Romance stories.
February 26, 2015
These were all quite good stories but I particularly like Boo because it had a lot of humour & self-mockery in it. That story alone brought this up to a 7.
Rated 7/10 at http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/1....
Rated 7/10 at http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/1....
July 12, 2015
There were 4 stories in this book but I only read the first one by Maggie Shayne and the last one by Jacey Ford. Those 2 were great stories and the others probably were to but I am not into reading about werewolves, shape shifters and any of that stuff.
November 6, 2007
read 11.29.06
March 1, 2011
I read some of this anthology ages ago, then set it aside and have never come back to it. I remember nothing about it, but I'm leaving a review for myself so I don't accidentally pick it up again.
April 3, 2008
Some tough sexy women in this collection of 4 short stories, with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure!
August 24, 2008
Warfem is great!
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